


Neighbors

by caitwritesstuff



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, M/M, Neighbors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 04:33:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12268974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitwritesstuff/pseuds/caitwritesstuff
Summary: After retiring from figure skating, Victor decided he's in desperate need of change in his life so he packs up everything he owns and moves to Paris. A new city, a new apartment, and a particularly cute new neighbor may be exactly what Victor needs to rediscover what's important in lifeInspired by the wonderful @loonehwithapencil's Neighbor's art.





	Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't had the chance to check out @loonehwithapencil's art that inspired this fic, you totally should!
> 
> https://loonehwithapencil.tumblr.com/post/165740017924/neighbours-this-was-supposed-to-be-animated-but 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Welcome home, old girl.” Victor sighed to Makkachin as he pushed open the door to his new Parisian apartment. Makkachin pushed through the door and immediately started sniffing every exposed surface of the cold empty apartment. Victor’s things hadn’t arrived yet from Russia so they both had to make due with their lifeless apartment at least for a couple days.

Makka looked back at Victor with a questioning glimmer in her eye and Victor walked over and ruffled her ears. 

“I know, I know, girl. It isn’t much but we can make it work. It can’t be any worse than our first apartment right?” He asked rhetorically. “I’d swear if we so much as  _ looked _ at something wrong in that shit hole something would break.” Victor laughed with a nostalgic sigh. It’s not that he missed living in a rotation in shitty Russian apartments, he just found himself more than just a little homesick. 

When Chris first suggested he move away from Russia after his retirement, Victor was understandably initially hesitant. He had spent his entire life in his home country dedicating his body and soul to figure skating. Some would say that he had more opportunity than most to see the world but in reality the extent of his worldly adventures ended at airports, lavish hotels, and foreign rinks.

Almost thirty years old, and yet Victor hasn’t really experienced any of what life had to offer. 

When he decided to take a season off, the press and his fans constantly questioned his possible return. When he officially retired at the end of the following season, they pondered his next move. Coaching or Choreography? Commentary or Judging? The entire world just  _ expected _ him to continue selling his soul to the sport that had long since drained him. 

Victor needed a break.

After months moping around his apartment, Victor decided that Chris was right. He needed to get away from all the expectations and truly enjoy his retirement before he inevitably needed to decide what his future had in store. So he decided to uproot his life in Saint Petersburg and move to Paris.

Paris had always been his favorite city to travel to (what little he got to see it between his competition schedule). Although he was recognized on the streets of Paris every once and awhile, for the most part the city afforded him a degree of anonymity. For once he wasn’t  _ Victor Nikiforov  _ the living legend skating sensation. Instead he was just Victor, another face in the crowd just trying to make the most out of a life in motion. 

When he got this apartment he did most of the paperwork and arrangements over phone and email, too tied up in his life in Saint Petersburg to make the trip to Paris for a proper house hunting trip. His agent was as fair as a real estate agent could be and sent him a slew of pictures of the apartment he was now standing in. His real estate agent had also mentioned that the apartment he was looking at purchasing had ‘a balcony with a view’. 

That statement was only half true. 

As soon as Makkachin was finished inspecting every room of the apartment, Victor decided to let her out onto the balcony to check out their new view. Victor stepped out onto the balcony and frowned. 

‘ _ Balcony with a view, my ass.’ _

As it turned out the ‘view’ he had was in fact the backside of another apartment building. If he looked to the left he could see just a sliver of the cityscape and the dusk sky. If there was one thing that brought him back to his old life, was the sound of a bustling city. That didn’t seem to change whichever city he went to.

Victor’s leaned on his balcony railing with his arms crossed, watching what little of the sunset he could actually see while the city of Paris bustles in the streets below. 

Looking around to his neighbors balconies, Victor noticed a dead houseplant sitting on the balcony below him in the building directly across from him. The poor thing was wilted and browning, clearly in need of proper care.

‘ _ The poor thing _ ,’ Victor sympathized with the plant, ‘ _ starved of light by the concrete jungle, probably left forgotten by its caretaker after realizing the plant’s fate was beyond hope.’  _

Victor knew the feeling all too well.

Feeling inspired by his sense of neighborly duty, Victor retreated back into his apartment to hunt down a piece of paper and a pencil. He eventually found an old paper in his practice bad where he had written down a now useless idea for a short program. Victor turned the paper over to the blank side and started writing. 

‘ _ Dear Neighbor,  _

_ I couldn’t help but to notice that your plant isn’t doing so well. I hope I’m not overstepping my bounds but I just can’t bare to see that poor thing die such a sad death. Here’s some easy things you could do that would save your houseplant: _

 

  * __Move the plant to a place with reliable light. Our buildings cast too much shadow for the poor thing to survive on your balcony.__


  * _Bring it indoors at night. Frosts kill many a innocent houseplant._


  * _For god’s sake water the damn thing. Frost and light aside, your plant is clearly parched._



_ Your new neighbor,  _

_ Victor _

Victor folded up the letter into a paper airplane and floated it across the space between the balconies.  It lands with a solid tap against his neighbor’s sliding glass door but it didn’t seem to catch the attention of his neighbor. 

They must not be home. 

It became clear that his neighbor wasn’t home when Victor’s letter sat unmoved and unread on his neighbor’s balcony for days. After the third or fourth day of no movement Victor began to feel like his note was a little passive aggressive. His neighbor was clearly on vacation and just forgot to arrange for someone to take care of his plant. 

Then one day Victor returned to his apartment to find that his note on his neighbor’s balcony was gone. The plant had moved to the part of the balcony that got  _ just a little bit more _ sunlight and was now clearly watered, it’s leaves glistening with droplets of water. To Victor’s surprise, paper airplane sat waiting on the floor of his own balcony.

‘ _ Victor,  _

_ Thanks for the advice. I’m sorry I couldn’t take better care of it lately, I’ve been traveling a lot and haven’t been around the apartment much to care for it. I’ve been trying to revive it for weeks but every time it starts to get healthier something kills it again. I swear I’m not really a cold-hearted plant murderer I just don’t have a green thumb.  _

_ Welcome to the neighborhood by the way! The view isn’t stellar, dead plants aside, but the people are nice enough. Word of caution though: watch out for Yurio’s cat. He likes to sneak into other people’s apartments if you leave your balcony door open. _

_ Yuuri _ ’

Victor thinks he must have sounded like an utter ass with the letter he sent. This poor man wasn’t looking to be judged for his plant maintenance habits. 

Some first impressions huh?

Victor definitely needed to apologize. He couldn’t be  _ that noisy neighbor _ . Victor had to set this right immediately. 

Victor rushed inside and grabbed a fresh piece of paper from his now fully furnished apartment and began writing out a response to his neighbor. 

‘ _ Yuuri, _

_ I’m afraid I’ve gotten us off on the wrong foot. I didn’t mean to insinuate that you had a penchant for plant murder, it just saddens me to see life wilt away. I admit, my letter must have painted me as some insane controlling plant tsar. I swear I didn’t mean any offense towards you or your poor plant that’s just trying it’s best. _

_ I’ll definitely have to keep an eye out for that cat. Makkachin, my poodle, might not take too kindly to a fuzzy intruder . . . Or at the very least the cat will be in for a nasty surprise if they come face to face! _

_ Again, sorry if I made the wrong first impression. _

_ Victor’ _

The next day Victor finds another paper airplane response sitting on his balcony. The sight of it alone makes him smile just a little bit as he unfolds the airplane to reveal it’s secret message. 

_ ‘You have a poodle!?! That settles it. I think you definitely have a shot at winning the neighbor of the year award if you introduce me to your doggo. I have it on good authority that it will earn you major brownie points with the voting committee (hint: I’m the voting committee).  _

_ I used to have a miniature poodle when I was growing up but I had to leave him with my parents when I left Japan to study . . . also my building doesn’t allow pets. :(‘ _

Victor hid his smile behind his hand, not that he had to since the only witness in his apartment was Makkachin who slept blissfully unaware stretched out across the kitchen floor. He hasn’t met the man yet but he could definitely get used to waking up to quaint little letters from his neighbor. 

Yuuri and Victor go back and forth for weeks, sending each other adorable letters and getting to know each other through antiquated but yet efficient mode of communication. Every morning Victor wakes up bubbling with excitement for each new letter. Victor can’t remember the last time he felt this happy to wake up in the morning. 

Even though they had exchanged countless letters for weeks on end, Victor had yet to meet Yuuri face to face. Victor’s determined to fix that. 

One afternoon he finally breaks and writes and re-writes out a note asking Yuuri to join him for dinner. It really shouldn’t have been this hard to ask the man to eat with him but Victor found himself second guessing every other word he wrote down. If his trash can heaping with crumpled up paper was any testament, he  _ really  _ wanted to meet Yuuri

Finally lands on a final draft that he doesn’t hate and he folds up the letter into the usual paper airplane. He paces back and forth in his kitchen, suddenly indecisive whether he was being too forward or crossing a line. When his next wave of boldness rolled through his Victor bit the bullet and shot the airplane across his balcony and down towards Yuuri’s. 

To his horror, before the paper could reach the safety of Yuuri’s balcony a gust of wind blew between their building and threw his invitation into a tailspin towards the street below. 

“No, no, no!” Victor cried helplessly as he watched his carefully crafted letter was quite literally lost to the wind. Why of all letters was  _ this _ the one that failed to send?

Victor quickly rushed back into his apartment and grabbed a new piece of paper. He scrawled a disappointing copy of the letter, the beautiful exposition and floral language lost to the wind with the original letter. When he finished writing a suitable substitute he folded it up and walked back out to his balcony. 

His arm was poised to launch it across the space between their two buildings but he froze when he saw an adorably chubby, dark haired man tending to the half-dead houseplant on the balcony across from his. 

“Oh. Hello!” Victor blurted out. The adorable man looked up and Victor’s eyes connected with warm chocolate ones behind blue framed glasses. 

“Oh hi! You’re Victor right?” Yuuri asked with a warm smile. 

“Indeed I am.” Victor affirmed, smoothly leaning onto the railing with the paper airplane still resting between his fingers.  “We meet at last.” Victor smiled warmly down at his adorably surprised neighbor. 

“I take it you’ve settled into the neighborhood nicely?” Yuuri asked politely.

“Thanks to you, yes.” Victor affirmed.

“It was the least I could do after you so kindly offered me plant-saving advice.” Yuuri shrugged. 

“What else are neighbors for?” Victor asked rhetorically.

“Is that for me?” Yuuri asked gesturing to the paper airplane still in Victor’s hands. 

“Ah.” Victor said, looking down at the letter in his hands, completely forgetting it was there in the first place. “Actually it’s a love letter to Yurio’s cat from my dear Makkachin. She’s been oh so forlorn after his last visit and asked me to send him a token of her affections.” Victor said lightheartedly. 

“Give her my condolences.” Yuuri chuckled setting down the water pail in the corner of his balcony. Somewhere in Yuuri’s apartment an appliance buzzed signaling the end of it’s cycle. “I think that's my cue. Have a nice night Victor!” Yuuri said pleasantly with a short wave before turning back to his apartment.

“Yuuri wait!” Victor called before he could disappear completely. Yuuri turned back toward Victor expectantly. “Would you like to join me for dinner sometime . . . For a date?” 

Yuuri blinked in surprise but quickly recovered his voice, albeit with a bright twinge of red staining his cheeks

“I-uh . . . Yeah. I’d like that.” Yuuri stuttered before clearing his throat. “Besides, you still need to introduce to Makkachin. You promised.” Yuuri reminded with a shy smile. Victor chuckled and tilted his head to rest on his hand. 

“I’m a man of my word.” Victor swore. “Yuuri as much as I love us passing notes I hate that our communication rests on the fickle whims of the wind. Can I have your number?” Victor asked. Yuuri didn’t respond, instead, much to Victor’s confusion, held up a single finger signaling him to wait and ran into his apartment. When Yuuri returned he was holding a paper airplane of his own. Yuuri launched the airplane across the distance between their building and Victor caught it mid-air. 

Victor unfolded the plane to find Yuuri’s number scrawled hastily with a cute little heart and his name at the end of the string of numbers on the page. Victor grinned like an idiot and held the piece of paper to his heart, silently praising any higher power that was out there that’s blessed him with this man. 

“Oh Yuuri, I’m so glad that you’re my neighbor.” Victor sighed dreamily. 

“Me too Victor.”

“Oi! Shut it you two! Some of us are trying to sleep!” Yurio shouted out his balcony door. 

“It’s four o’clock in the afternoon, Yurio.” Victor called to the young man in disbelief. 

“Fuck off old man. Just go be gross somewhere where you won’t bug me!” He shouted out the door of his own balcony, just under Victor’s. 

“What do you say, Yuuri? Join me for dinner?” Victor asked with a wink, holding his hand out in invitation. Yuuri laughed but had the self preservation to hide it behind his hand so that the angry kitten didn’t see. 

“I’d be honored. I’ll meet you at your place?” Yuuri agreed, clearing his throat of all mirth when Yurio shot him a death glare. Yurio tsk-ed in disgust, groaned and slammed his balcony door shut. 

“I’m in 934B.” Victor said.

“I’ll be right there.” Yuuri assured disappearing into his apartment to get ready. 

As soon as Victor was within the privacy of his own apartment he allowed himself a quick celebratory dance. 

Makkachin was very confused by Victor’s strange actions and started hopping around her papa. Victor laughed, took Makkachin by the paws, and started awkwardly swaying with his four legged companion. 

“Oh Makka, Yuuri’s so wonderful! He’s coming to join us for dinner and I just might die. You’re absolutely going to adore him, I just know it. How could you not?” Victor gushed to his pooch. Makkachin barked and licked at his owners face, confused, but happy that her papa was happy.

When the door buzzed signaling Yuuri’s arrival, Makkachin rushed to the door to greet her guest, Victor hot on her heels.

That night went just a Victor had always imagined it. Like he had expected, Makkachin adored Yuuri and Yuuri adored her just as equally. Cooking dinner with Yuuri was like a dream come true. They worked so well together cutting the vegetables and cooking together, going back and forth in a comfortable banter. They thoroughly enjoyed in their shared efforts and Yuuri passed Makka some table scraps underneath the table when he thought Victor wasn’t looking. 

Afterwards they did the dishes together they settled down in Victor’s living room, neither willing to let the night end. They talked the night away until Yuuri fell asleep with his head on Victor’s shoulder. 

Not willing to disturb his sleeping beauty, Victor shifted them so that he was laying down on the couch with Yuuri sleeping peacefully on his chest. Yuuri shifted a little in his sleep at the sudden movement but ultimately snuggled into Victor’s chest before going back to snoring lightly. 

Victor was stuck by just how comfortable being with Yuuri was. He could easily see himself getting used to quiet nights like this, just enjoying each other’s company. 

Victor felt well and truly blessed for the man who miraculously appeared in his life and in such a short time illuminated his world with warmth and happiness. Of all the neighbors Victor feared he would have when he moved into this apartment, he was glad he got Yuuri instead.

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't had the chance to check out @loonehwithapencil's art that inspired this fic, you totally should!
> 
> https://loonehwithapencil.tumblr.com/post/165740017924/neighbours-this-was-supposed-to-be-animated-but


End file.
